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From: leei@princeton.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.ai
Subject: Re: Rational Psychology
Message-ID: <77@princeton.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 22-Sep-83 12:02:28 EDT
Article-I.D.: princeto.77
Posted: Thu Sep 22 12:02:28 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 23-Sep-83 23:49:35 EDT
References: <1913@utah-cs.UUCP>
Organization: Princeton University
Lines: 14

I really think that the ability that we humans have that allows us to avoid
looping is the simple ability to recognize a loop in our logic when it
happens.  This comes as a direct result of our tendency for constant self-
inspection and self-evaluation.  A machine with this ability, and the
ability to inspect its own self-inspections . . ., would probably also
be able to "solve" the halting problem.

Of course, if the loop is too subtle or deep, then even we cannot see it.
This may explain the continued presence of various belief systems that rely
on inherently circular logic to get past their fundamental problems.


					-Lee Iverson
					..!princeton!leei